Key x Gaia, the Final Chapter?

Kyran wasn't sure where he was. He wasn't sure what he was doing. Well he was kinda sure what he was doing. There was a bottle in his hand, mostly empty. Since his demons had been sealed away along with Eae the angel, it had been one nonstop drinking ride. His blurry vision locked onto the tavern's sign. Ace of Spades. What had brought him here? Oh right Gaia. It was time to break up... show her... make love... He couldn't remember which is was anymore. All he knew was the taste of the drink and the pain in his heart. No one could ever love him. They all left or stabbed him in the back. Once Gaia was gone, Kyran wouldn't have anything left. He would find Gruen and destroy him. Hopefully, in the process, Gruen would finish him too. Then Kyran wouldn't have to go on living, go on hurting.

"Prettah ladah!" He called raising a finger for the waitress. At least he thought it was a finger. Maybe it was the bottle he was holding. Kyran took another swig. Pleasant numbness flooded through his body. The waitress stopped over trying to tug the bottle out of his grasp. "You've had enough. You don't need anymore, hun. Come on. Give me the bottle." Kyran frowned, hugging the bottle to his chest. "Onwee mah Gaia can haf mah bottah." The waitress gave up. She strolled away muttering something under her breath. Kyran couldn't hear what it was. He didn't much care what it was. All that mattered was the Gaia bottle. He frowned. Gaia bottle? Was Gaia a genie? Kyran looked around trying to see if Gaia appeared as he rubbed on the bottle.

With a loud thud, Kyran crashed onto the floor. He'd gotten too enthusiastic looking for his girlfriend. A crazy laugh bubbled up from his lips. "That's it!" He head the waitress say. "Someone go fetch Gaia and have her take this wastrel outta here." Kyran rolled on the floor under a table. He didn't want to leave. He needed to stay blissfully numb. Needed to stay here. He couldn't remember why but it was important. Kyran took the last of the wine in the bottle. Kyran peeked out holding out the empty bottle. "Bah maid! Anoffer pwease!"

Kyran's fingers tightened around the bottle when someone tried to take it from him. At least until the scent hit him. He smiled drunkenly up at the most beautiful woman in the world. One who currently looked as if she could straight up murder him. He listened to the melodic tones of her voice, soothing away the demons within him in a way alcohol never could. Kyran popped out from under the table, burying his face in her chest. "Gaaaaiiiaaaaaa" He said drawing out the word. His tongue treated every syllable as the sweetest drop of honey. Kyran lifted his face from her bosom slowly. There was a sweet smile gracing his mouth. "Hi" His arms came around Gaia. His intention was to pick her up. Instead, Kyran merely managed to slip. His knees collapsed, rubbing his face against nearly every inch of Gaia before Kyran ended up on his back beneath her. A giggle escaped from his lips.

"I haf somfing tah tell you." He sang, rubbing his face against her leg. His finger poked into his nose when he tried to bring it to his lips. "Itsa secret." Kyran lay on the floor trying to think through the fog of the drink. What was it that he wanted to tell her? They were done? He shook his head. No that couldn't be it. Gaia was the best thing that had ever happened to him. Kyran's eyes roved up Gaia's body. His own stirred in response to the absolute sexiness of her. Sex! That had to be it. He was willing to try sex for the last time with her. That had to be it. Kyran began the long laborious climb to his feet. Ada had some good wine. Even with his natural regeneration, it wasn't wearing off quickly at all. He'd have to ask for another bottle sometime. The thought brought a smile to his face. "Letssssss get outta her." Kyran giggled. That wasn't quite right. "Outta her. Outta her. Out-tah here."

Kyran let Gaia take the bottle when she tried again. Besides she'd gotten him something else to drink. The water vanished before Kyran realized it wasn't more alcohol. He made a face. Why would Gaia do that to him? He didn't want to be sober. However, Kyran possessed enough of his mind to realized Gaia expected him to at least be slightly sober before she took him anywhere. Obediently he drank more water. Feeling Gaia's hand in his was nice. It almost beat the buzz that he'd had before. The memories, the feelings were coming back swiftly as he walked through the street. Kyran had to walk with his head down. The Ace of Spades looked magical in the moonlight. Gaia made the moment even greater. He wanted to apologize for his behavior but Kyran was afraid to open his mouth. He was afraid of what might come pouring out once his lips were open. Especially since the alcohol wasn't all the way out of his system yet.

Once they stood in Gaia's foyer, Kyran wrapped his arms around Gaia from behind. His forehead touched the skin of her shoulder. Now that he was safe from the prying eyes of the world, now that it was just the two of them, he could let it out. Tears ran down his face without a sound. Kyran watched them touch Gaia's shoulder with a wonder. When was the last time he'd cried? Really cried? When had he trusted anyone enough to cry in front of them? "I'm sorry." He murmured into her shoulder. "I'm sorry..." That seemed to be all Kyran could say. Even when he tried to say something else, another 'I'm sorry' slipped from his lips. He stood there for a long time, leaning on Gaia emotionally.

When the tears dried, Kyran straightened slowly. He didn't release Gaia but gave her enough leeway to turn around if she wanted. "Gaia..." He whispered. What to say? What to say? What could he say? He didn't even know. "I need you." His voice broke with his vulnerability. Not once had Kyran ever said those words to another. Not in the way he meant them now. He could only hope that Gaia understood. Kyran could only hope that she would want to help him, to give him what he needed. He wouldn't blame her if she didn't. He was repulsive. A monster. Nothing good could ever come from him.

Kyran let Gaia lead him into the living room. The surprise at Gaia letting him near her chest was muted by the overwhelming sadness in his heart. He took a deep shaky breath. Gaia repeatedly told him he could trust her. Claudia had said that too. It was difficult to see where his past ended and his future began even now. Perhaps because his brother had brought Claudia back into his life. A strangled chuckled burst from Kyran's lips. Where the hell could he start for Gaia to understand? "I don't know where to start..." He said tiredly, prompted by Gaia's lips upon his head. Her fingers moving through his hair helped calm him down. Noya's willingness to help cheer him up even helped lift his heavy heart. "My darling Gaia..." Kyran lifted his head slowly. He peered into her eyes looking for something, anything to prompt the trust that had been broken again and again. "I'm not sure where I'd be without you." His fingers brushed against her thigh. That physical connection gave him courage.

"I didn't have a good childhood." He began. The beginning was probably the best place to start. "I had no one to turn to. Every time, I gave my trust it was brutally broken. I should have expected that given my body was broken every single day only to be repaired with ten times the pain." Kyran gently guided one of her hands to his forearms. Guiding her fingers over those raised ridges was a sweet torment. The scars weren't visible to anyone simply looking at at his forearms. Touching them gave a clear map to what Kyran had tried to do. "My family broke me, mentally and physically. When I tried... when I tried to end it, my father put a stop to constantly breaking my body. That became a once a week or once a month thing. My oldest brother, Gruen, however, never stopped. He would break my bones in hidden places, making sure the healer was nearby so father never discovered what he was doing." Kyran looked down again. He didn't want Gaia to see the shame in his eyes. It would have taken a word from him to get Gruen to stop. His father had beaten honesty into Kyran to make sure his son never lied to him.

"I snapped only once after my father implemented that rule." Kyran led Gaia's hand under his shirt. Her fingers were guided across the set of scars upon his back, covered by the tops of his angel wings tattoo. "Gruen stopped tormenting me for a time. During that time, a girl called Claudia dated me. I should have known something was up. I would have done anything for Claudia. She was the first kind touch I'd ever experienced." Kyran brushed his lips across the back of Gaia's hand. "It was all a lie. After giving my virginity to her in front of an audience since thats how she said it should be, Claudia violently stabbed my groin." Kyran closed his eyes. He hated reliving this moment in his life. "She sneered asking how anyone could ever love me. Then while I crouched on the ground, Claudia handed the knife to the crowd. They each took their time stabbing my shoulders. Gruen kept any of them from dealing a killing blow." Kyran laughed softly. "Ironically, I didn't snap then. I snapped two or three days later. I discovered my father had sold my baby siblings, twins, for little other reason than money. I lost it. I killed my father and rampaged through the entire estate, slaughtering nearly everyone I came across." Kyran pulled away from Gaia. He didn't know how she could stand to touch him. He had killed his father. Killed his family.

"I ran away. Gruen wasn't there that night but I never thought I'd see him again." Kyran shook his head, drawing his knees up to his chest. "I was a fool. A few months back, Gruen lured me in with a fake job. There he revealed Claudia, whom I had believed dead, and my daughter, who I didn't even know existed. Gruen also gave me proof of our two youngest siblings being alive and well." Tears threatened to spill from Kyran's eyes. What should have been a joyous occasion was ruined by his eldest brother. "He threatened them. The three people that have the strongest hold on my heart. Gruen threatened to kill them if I didn't betray my new family, the WFTC. I couldn't tell anybody. I knew Gruen was the head of the Dyer Industries spy network. He has resources everywhere and I didn't want to risk losing anyone." Kyran withdrew further, trying to sink into himself. He wanted to disappear. A white knight was what Kyran wanted Gaia to see him as. Now he was revealing just how stained with blood he really was. "I used loopholes in Gruen's demands to get away with feeding him really old company info. I stayed away from Tolgalen, never staying there long enough to grant him current information. Then my demons were sealed away along with Eae. I didn't know how much I leaned on them during this time. With them gone... I was spiraling."

Kyran looked up at Gaia slowly. His eyes were bloodshot. Tears brimmed on the edges, ready to fall. "I'm going to confront Gruen. I don't know how I'll get past his security or if I can even rescue my daughter but I can't sit around anymore. I quit the WFTC so they wouldn't be dragged down in my attempt. And...and I tried to come here to end things with you." He looked away. "I didn't want you to be sitting around waiting while my corpse sat cooling in some dumpster somewhere. I don't want anyone to be hurt by my death. If everyone hates me, I can die at peace knowing no one will miss me and no one will care that I'm gone." Kyran ran a hand through his hair. "Seems that I'm selfish though. I can't give up the best thing that ever happened to me. I'm sorry." Now she knew all of it. Or at least everything that pertained to his aching heart. Kyran was ready for Gaia to kick him out right then. He wouldn't blame her either. He was a terrible boyfriend.

Kyran barely felt the crack of Gaia's backhand. It was something his mother had always done to him. He looked up at Gaia with dead eyes waiting for her to continue. His mother had never stopped at one. The dropping of the dress shocked him out of his reverie. It was nothing compared to the shock of seeing the scars on her back. Anger whipped through him like an angry beast. Not only at Gaia's family, as he listened to her story, but at himself. Gaia was right. He was a fucking moron. Kyran had approached this relationship as if Gaia had nothing in her past that hurt her. His fingers stretched out to gently brush against the scars on her back. He wanted to say something, anything to take away her pain, her horror. When she turned around, Kyran sat there and took her criticism. She was right. He hadn't approached this in a rational manner. He'd let the untouchable monsters from his past rise up and threaten everything he'd built. The worst part was Kyran had helped them destroy it. There were apologies owed. The most important of which was to the crying woman in front of him.

"Gaia... forgive me. Please. I don't... I never..." Kyran thrust his fingers through his hair trying to find the right words. It was ironic that as an author, he didn't have the right words when it counted most. "I didn't think about you. About your past. About the issues you might be facing." He said finally hanging his head. "That was wrong of me. It's worse that I didn't trust you with this earlier, especially since I made a promise to trust you." Kyran rose slowly off the couch. His fingers slipped into his pocket. A little blue book sat there, one he'd taken to carrying around. It was a project, a story for Gaia and only for her. It was tempting to give it to her now. Maybe it would fix the mistakes he'd made. Kyran stepped into Gaia, catching her tears on his fingers. He slowly traced the structure of her face, his fingertips brushing only lightly as he did so.

"I give you my heart, Gaia Sabin." Kyran whispered. A glowing red heart formed in his right hand as he pulled it away from her face. "You know everything now and... I've realized how much it would hurt to be without you. However, if you wish it, I'll walk out that door and never bother you again if it would make you happy." Kyran offered the magic beating heart. "This will always be yours however. No other woman will touch this body. I'd be celibate to the day I died." Kyran waited a moment to see if she kicked him out or not. If she didn't, a relieved smile crossed his face. "I'll endeavor to be worthy of your heart from this day forward, my love." The words felt strange upon his lips. Had he ever told somebody he loved them before? Had he ever trusted someone enough to say those words? Kyran looked down at Gaia and smiled. He wanted to say the words now. "I know I'm a bastard for saying it now. Feel free to be angry with me but I love you, Gaia Sabin. You're the first, and last, woman I will ever love." For the first time in a week or more, Kyran smiled a smile that reached his eyes.

Kyran waited for the words to sink in when Gaia questioned it the first time. The second time, Kyran chuckled softly. "I wouldn't ever say those words lightly. I know there are those that sling it around or use it to get what they want but I'm not one of them." Kyran cupped her cheek, wiping away some of her tears. He wasn't sure if the tears were a good sign or a bad one. There was a tiny hope inside him that it was a good sign. Kyran also resolved to give Gaia the benefit of the doubt in this matter. Gently, he took her glasses off. The glasses and the heart he set nearby. When her forehead touched his thigh, Kyran tried to control his body's reaction. He failed miserably. Having Gaia that close would have been all it took. Having her head on his thigh gave him no control at all. Kyran cleared his throat awkwardly. "Y-you... you do?"

Kyran crouched down so he could see Gaia's face. "May I give you a massage, Gaia? I couldn't help notice you shuddering at my touching of your scars. I want you to feel comfortable at my touch even... even if I can't bring myself to go all the way." He smiled sadly. Hopefully she understood better why he'd said he'd never have sex when they first started dating. Kyran gently guided Gaia onto her front. His fingers skimmed down her back briefly. Then he found her a pillow to put beneath her head. "These are beautiful" Kyran whispered splaying his fingers across her back. "Symbols of the trials you've endured to become the woman you are today. The woman I love dearly." He leaned down to brush kisses down her spine. Once he was finished, Kyran utilized the skills he'd learned. The female members of his family had forced him to learn well. His teacher, Sylvia, after the one time he'd given her a massage had claimed his fingers were like magic. Claudia had also agreed. However, it had been a few years and Kyran apologized every time he made a mistake. The aim was to relax Gaia entirely. It wasn't easy with how she affected his body. Kyran had to constantly adjust himself while he worked.

When he was finished, Kyran crouched next to Gaia once again. "Princess Knights shouldn't be as sexy as you." He whispered brushing her hair back from her face. "But it is nice to know it works. Shame I'll never put it to good use." Kyran kissed Gaia's cheek. "Where is your bed? I can carry you up there and then go back to my place. I'll be back tomorrow if that's alright." He smiled over at Noya and scratched the ferret behind the ears. The little animal was lucky that emotions weren't so complicated for her. There had been a time when Kyran had wanted to be like that. Now, he wasn't sure he'd have been happy. Kyran turned his gaze back toward Gaia, a smile in his eyes. "Oh the heart by the way is just a representation of all the emotion in my heart. If it ever turns black or has a spot of black, it means something terrible has pierced my heart." He looked over at it. It was strange to him that not an inch of it was black. Deep down, he was a monster. That wasn't something anyone could change.

Notes \\ Words \\ Tag

Gaia looked up slightly as he spoke to her, saying his words were true. She let up a small whine as he removed her glasses, not liking that she couldn't fully see. She nods slowly to his question. "I was scared to tell you before... I didn't know if it was too early or not..." She admits to him softly. She backed off his leg as he begun to crouch down to her level. She blinked to him slowly, scrunching her face in to a worried expression. "I just don't like people touching my back really..." She mumbles as she glanced away. She slowly takes a deep breath, and lets Kyran lay her on the couch, burying her face in the pillow a bit while gripping it in her hands at the same time. She glanced back at him with a pout as he whispered to her and touched her back. She was lightly blushing as she shook her head to his words about her scars being trials and molding her to whom she was and that he loved the way she was. Of course, her body was tense, but she buried her face in the pillow, waiting for him to stop kissing down her back. She felt embarrassed from her scars, and a little scared that she was actually showing someone the product of her growing up. As he started actually giving her a massage, she didn't know how to fully process it. Eventually, she did lose tension in her back the longer he went, turning her head lightly on the side. She closed her eyes softly, nearly asleep and fully relaxed by the time he finished.

A deep blush formed on her cheeks again as her burnt sienna eyes opened again to look at him. Her blush wasn't going down as he kissed her cheek, betting he'd feel the warmth of her blushing on her cheek. Slowly, she brought herself to sit up once again, holding the blanket to her chest. "Stay with me tonight." She mumbles as she reached out and pinched the sleeve of his shirt. "You still have alcohol in your system... and I don't trust you to go back to the tavern." She moved her hand to grip the sleeve now, making her mumbled request, more of a demand now. She glances over at the heart on the coffee table, even though her glasses weren't on her face for her to see it properly, as Kyran begun to mention it. "I'll be sure to keep it safe." She says as she looks up to him slowly. She was studying his blurry face for a moment, before she let go of his sleeve and lightly held her free arm up for him to pick her up. Her body felt too relaxed to move anymore than she already she had. "Up the stairs, and the room immediately in front of the stairs is my room..." She blushes a little. "Just... don't laugh at how it's set up already..." She mumbles to him softly. She glances away just as Noya jumped into her lap, expecting Kyran to pick them up together.

When he took her to her bedroom, he'd see that the bookshelves there would be mostly bare, except for the books he had given him and a few notebooks of unwritten stories. The room itself would be rather huge, and kind of empty except for her couch, dresser, and bed. The bed itself had white sheets and the canopy around it was a deep red. If Kyran noticed around the house while he traveled, her home had some rather expensive looking decoration, showing her liking for finer decorations for things, and she earned the jewel for most of it anyways, so why shouldn't she decorate her house with her fine lavishes?

"I'm... not sure..." Kyran murmured at her demand for him to stay. "Even without Malinda... the lusty demon... being around you makes me..." He struggled for the words before gesturing down. Kyran didn't trust himself not to do anything. Especially with how he had to sleep. "Unless you're okay sleeping next to a naked erection. I can't sleep with clothes on." Kyran tried to swallow past the lump in his throat. Sleeping with clothing on was a sure way to bring the nightmares. He'd tried for a few months after escaping but he always woke with everything around him shredded to pieces. Kyran wasn't going to risk something similar with Gaia next to him. "I wish it was simpler to simply be with you, Gaia." He mumbled catching her fingers. His gaze traveled slowly up her body. "You make me want... more. Maybe even everything."

Kyran took a deep breath hearing she'd keep his heart safe. It was probably the alcohol but it made him okay with staying. "I'm glad to hear you say that." Deep laughter rumbled from his chest at her upraised arm. "Ever my princess Knight" He teased. Winking at her, Kyran shed his shirt before picking her up. The touch of her skin against his own made him suck in a breath. "Maybe that wasn't such a good idea..." Kyran said as he carried her up the stairs. "Make one think of other things involving skin." He blew lightly upon her shoulder just to rile her up.

On entering her room, Kyran placed her gently on the bed. He took his time exploring her room. A few books were picked up. He burned to tell her he'd written her favorite series. That was a secret Kyran wanted to not have between them. He fingered the blue book in his pocket once again. There was more to add to it however. An all important chapter that was not yet finished. It was tempting to place the book on her shelf. Glancing over his shoulder, Kyran slipped the book out. He flipped it open and began to write quickly. It didn't take him long to finish before slipping it back into his pocket. Then he pulled one of the books he didn't recognize off the shelf. Opening it revealed stories he'd never read before. Intrigued, he sat down upon the couch to read. Kyran was quickly engrossed in the stories. He loved the little twists, the characters and he wasn't even far into the story. There was no indication of the author however. "Who wrote this?" He asked turning toward Gaia. He wanted to meet the author, to get inside their head. Perhaps that would reignite his own muse to write the final pieces of the Dark Phoenix. The finishing touches would probably make Gaia fairly happy if she liked the ending.

Notes \\ Words \\ Tag

The tarot mage simply huffed at Kyran being unsure of her demand to stay the night, she really didn't care too much for that, she was going to be selfish still. "Wouldn't be the first time I have." She says, glancing up to him as she knew she told him she wasn't a virgin herself. "I don't mind how you sleep, you're just not leaving my home." She puffs her cheeks at him. Her cheeks go into a blush as he grabs her fingers and spoke to her more. When he picked her up, a smile is on her face as she cuddled up to him slightly. "You're drunk." She just mumbles as she slightly curls in his arms. Her cheeks deepened in the blush as he blew on her shoulder, softly hitting his as she was trying to hold back the giggle on her lips.

Gaia had grabbed her glasses on their way to her room, and held them in her lap with Noya. As she was set on her bed, Gaia takes a deep breath, putting her glasses on her face once more. She watched him go and explore her room, feeling embarrassed as there wasn't much to it. Noya had scurried over to the pillow next to her, curling up as if it was natural for her, in which it actually was. That was her sleep spot. Gaia gets up slowly, still holding the blanket to her chest, and goes to the dresser to pull out a couple articles of clothing. While she didn't mind if Kyran didn't sleep with anything, she at least did a bit. She has her back to him as she sets the blanket on the bench at the end of her bed, and slips on a soft, velvet, blue, spaghetti strap nightgown. When she was done getting dressed again, she noticed he was reading one of her books from the shelf. She climbs up onto her bed again, bitting her bottom lip as she lays across the foot of the bed to look over at Kyran.

When he questioned who the author was, Gaia's cheeks flushed. "Me..." She murmurs as her legs were bent up at the knees while she laid on her stomach. The story would be about a young girl who was told majority of her life that she was destined for greatness, but before she was able to get there, she was thrown into another realm and had to prove herself that she was still destined for greatness, despite knowing nothing of this new world. She was only ten chapters in, and it was incomplete. Gaia was feeling embarrassed as she moves to sit up. "You don't have to read it... it's pretty lame... ended up not continuing it since you gave me the Cursed Dynasty books..." She glances to the end table, which had the current last book in her favorite series.

Kyran laughed at her assertion that he was drunk. "If I was drunk, darling, I'd be seducing the clothes off your back." His eyes roved over her body. "Though I'm quite tempted to do so anyway." He murmured. For a moment, passion sizzled in his eyes. This feeling of absolute trust was new for Kyran. There was a desire to explore it, to see what it was like to really be with someone. Even if he was sacrificing a bit of himself for it. Gaia was worth it.

The sight of Gaia in a blue nightie sent a shot of lust through Kyran. He almost wished Malinda was around to blame for it. Unfortunately, the snake had been sealed away by his ancestor. She couldn't be used for a scapegoat. He stalked toward the bed, his eyes smoldering. "A pity. I quite enjoyed it. Might I... might I take it to Anon? He's been struggling with muse lately and this might be just the thing to get it going again." His fingers curled around the blue book. The desire to give it to her was overwhelming. However, it was not yet finished. Kyran put a hand on Gaia's shoulder. His thumb danced across the strap of her night gown.

"I find it rather sexy that you write, my love." Kyran rumbled, setting her book aside. "Perhaps I'll stop gifting you Anon's books so you might continue to write." His lips curled mischievously. He was growing bolder. The comfortable feeling of merely being around Gaia was more intoxicating than the alcohol had been. "Or perhaps, I can be your muse. I'm told certain...activities have the capability of restoring or inspiring muses. Would you like to test the theory?" His hand slid down Gaia's arm. The red head struggled not to blush at his own bold advances. The heat high in his cheeks told Kyran he'd failed that battle. Would his advances work? Or would he be rejected? He wanted this. He wanted to be one with Gaia, to be touched in a way he'd never been touched before.

Gaia glares up to Kyran a bit. "What clothes? My dress is over by the couch, dummy." She says as she raises her hand and knocks it lightly on the top of his head. Her other hand wasn't moving the blanket from her chest, or even allowing it to slip regardless and show him anything, especially not with Noya on her lap while he carried her. When she was laying on the bed in her nightgown and he came up to her, Gaia looked up to Kyran slightly confused. She puffs her cheeks up slightly and shrugs her shoulders. "I guess... I was stuck anyways..." She mumbles softly. She props her elbows on the bed, raising her hands together as he tapped her index fingers together. "You sure you're not saying that just out of pity for my poor writing?" She had started to move to start sitting up when the redhead put his hand on her shoulder.

His next comment had her blushing quite a bit. She swallowed her spit harder than she anticipated as he spoke. She was pouting a bit, especially when he, she assumed, teased about stopping getting her Anon's books. "I could always try to find his books myself." She says through her pout quietly. Her whole face went red with embarrassment as he suggested him being her muse, which also was when she did manage to push herself up enough to be sitting on her legs on her bed. She glances over to the pillows where Noya was sitting, and bit her bottom lip concerned. Yeah... she did say she didn't fully mind him wanting more of her in a sense, she didn't fully mentally prepare herself though. She quickly pulled herself from Kyran and grabbed the pillow Noya was on before dragging the ferret on it and putting the pillow on the ground, ferret and all so the bed was empty besides herself.

She was still by the head of the bed, sitting delicately on one leg now with the other slightly stretched out, and slowly glanced over her shoulder to Kyran. She adjusted her glasses slightly as she takes a deep breath. Her cheeks weren't losing their color. "H-hey..." She motioned with her hand shakily, for the red head to come up to her. "C-can't test your theory if you're over there..." Her face turns beat red as she groans to herself and puts her hands on her face before she turns and lets herself fall on the other pillow face first. She really didn't feel that was a smooth thing for at least her to do... She then remembered she was on her stomach, and with the straps of her nightgown, some of her scars were visible again to him. She turned to be on her back, out of habit, and glances to Kyran through her fingers over her glasses. Yeah, her glasses more than likely had smudges on them from her own fingers, but she could clean them later.

Kyran chuckled softly at Gaia's doubt. "I'm not one for lying, love. It's actually very difficult for me to lie. So when I say it's good and ask to take it to my friend, I mean it." He watched Gaia move Noya with a furrowed brow. What was she doing? Noya wasn't doing anything. Her next words made his cheeks flare. A silly grin also spread across his face. Kyran prowled across the bed on his hands and knees. "Are you ready to be inspired, love?" He asked, his face still suffused with heat.

FADE TO BLACK

The next morning, Kyran woke slowly from a deep slumber. It was the best sleep he'd had in a long time. What had happened last night? A weight on his chest prevented Kyran from rolling out of bed. The blood mage looked down in irritation. The expression on his face quickly became one of horror. Sparse details were coming back to him as he beheld Gaia sleeping peacefully on his chest. What had he done? Gaia was an innocent light, pure, untainted. The smells filtering through his nose told him without a doubt, he'd tainted her. Kyran put an arm over his face. He groaned a little. He was such an idiot. What could he give Gaia? Nothing. Not a home, not safety, nothing but a man that was broken in too many ways to count. They'd fall apart and she would be eaten by the darkness he left behind.

A ball of fur landed on Key's neck. He tried to push Noya away but the ferret latched onto his hand. "Ow, Noya. Stop that." The ferret gave him a look. It was almost as if she knew what he'd been thinking. It was also tinged with irritation. Kyran supposed the irritation was from him stealing her sleeping spot. "Don't look at me like that. You know I'm not good for her. I might have thought of marriage but I don't have anything I can give her besides myself. And what kind of-" Noya scratched his arm. Blood fell onto his chest. Kyran bared his teeth at the annoying animal. "Fine! I suppose she'd be happy with only me." He ran his fingers through Gaia's hair. "I guess if I can be happy with only Gaia, she would be happy with only me." The red head admitted under his breath. The ferret nodded, pushing her head under his hand. Kyran laughed supposing the ferret was looking for treats.

"I don't have anything for you, Noya. We'll let mama sleep a little while longer though and I'll try to find something for you." Kyran carefully moved Gaia onto the bed, wrapping the covers around her securely. Then he carefully got out of bed. Noya was cradled in his arms, now healed from her scratching. Regeneration was handy. "You think Gaia would mind me walking around naked?" He asked the ferret softly. It was a quick debate with himself. "Nah." The blood mage headed for the door of the bedroom. There was a pause at the doorway as he looked back at Gaia. Seeing her sleeping there peacefully healed something inside Kyran. He smiled slowly before turning to try and find Noya a snack.

Kyran calmly sidestepped the kunai flying up the stairs. The crashing door had given him a good clue as to an intruder. The yelling voice had told him exactly who it was. He carefully set Noya aside as Adalinda came tearing up the stairs. His blue eyes were like hardened ice as he caught Adalinda's fist. He felt the power ripple through his body before it blew out walls behind him. Kyran's eyes widened as he looked over his shoulder. Gaia's home. Gaia's beautiful home. Destroyed by this raging lunatic who dared to call herself a friend. There was blue fire this time when he looked at Ada. Fuck being nice about it. Blood fire ignited in the hand holding Ada's fist. Interesting. He couldn't feel his hand and apparently he was bleeding from it. There was blood dripping from it onto the floor. Kyran tried to open a cut on his other hand. It had slipped his mind that the coat that allowed him to do so wasn't on him at this time. His teeth grit in frustration. Where was all his gear when he needed it?

A dagger formed under the hand holding Ada's. He caught it, trying to slice into her stomach. "Who gives a flying fuck about alcohol?!" Kyran snarled, stepping away from Ada. He dropped into a fighting stance, ready for this. It occurred to him that he'd wanted this fight for a long time. "Especially when you had the audacity to call yourself my friend. You left me drowning in a sea of dark memories, memories you'd seen first hand! You did nothing to help me! Nothing!" Kyran spat off to the side in a spiteful gesture. "You're not a friend at all. You're a sadist who enjoys other people's pain. I pity Yuudai and your children."

Gaia blushes at Kyran's comment on being unable to lie, not being able to fully believe that he did find what she did write to be interesting. As he had come over to her, she smiles nervously to him, blushing just as deeply as before while biting her bottom lip.

FADE TO BLACK

Gaia had fallen asleep rather peacefully next to Kyran that night, snuggling as close as humanly possible. She lightly stirred as he did, but didn't wake up yet. She moved her arm enough to hug him to her, smiling softly in her sleep, even more when he ran his fingers through her hair. As she was moved off of him, her eye cracks open for a second, before he wrapped her up comfortably, curling up in the blankets and snuggled herself into her bed. She looked rather small in the bed on her own, even if she was already small to begin with.

When her door was kicked in, Gaia didn't know fully what was going on, eyes opening sleepily, till she heard more ruckus going on outside of her door. She instantly shot herself up and gasped as she saw Kyran and Noya not in the bed with her. She sprung herself out of the bed and quickly threw on a robe from the back of her door, unsure if she wanted to open the door with how her walls were already seeming like they were ruined from the other side. She quickly summoned her cards into her hand, the whole deck jumping out of her bag and in her hands. She was prepared to use them now. She quickly grabbed her doorknob and flung her door open to see Noya hiding behind the wall, looking ready to go and attack, and Kyran yelling at some black haired girl who looked like she was pissed about... alcohol? "Who are you?! And why are you in my home?!" She shrieks in anger. "Get the hell out!" Gaia had half the mind to pull a card out of her deck, but she also knew that it would harm her house more than anything. She glanced over to the wall next to the door, and her jaw dropped as tears welled up in her eyes. She couldn't believe it... She didn't have her home for too terribly long, and it was already being damaged by some stranger! The anger was clear on her as she begun to shake a bit, and gripped her hands around her cards rather hard.

Kyran snarled as his dagger snapped against Ada's stomach. He wasn't sure if it had even done any damage. His fire didn't seem to be doing much either. His rage welled up inside him. "I needed to talk about it, you idiot! I needed to face my past with someone I could trust! What you did wasn't nice, it was painful! You have no idea how difficult it was to watch you turn your back on everything I'd shared with you and ignore it like it was nothing!" He did feel a little guilty that he'd taken Ada's birthday gift from Yuudai. He'd asked for an expensive but generic enough bottle. Kyran had no idea how he ended up with the super special bottle. The guilt only made him angrier. He bit down on his tongue, trying to calm himself down. However, he only managed to make himself bleed.

Nothing could hold him back. Ahriman wasn't here. None of the demons were. He didn't have to hold back at all. Kyran opened his mouth and unleashed a howl, combining it with his blood morph spell. The spell copied something Kyran had once seen Ada do. A great swirling red energy spat from Kyran's mouth, heading straight for Ada. The energy carved furrows into the wall next to them and demolished the banister. A seal appeared on the back of Kyran's wrist as another spell activated. "Get out, Ada. Now." He growled, feeling his skin ripple. It had been a while since it had done that. Not since the demons had been sealed. Perhaps this was exactly what they needed to be released once more. Kyran smiled ferally at his friend. "Or I'll make you leave."

"Oh boo hoo. Mommy and daddy were evil. They were apart of a cult. They turned people into dragons but I got away and had my memories locked so I didn't have to deal with it until I was grown up." Kyran snapped, trying to avoid her attack. He felt the tip of the kunai bite into his ribs. Not a terrible wound but it still hurt. "I was tortured. Every day. Since I was four! I didn't have a single person on my side! Don't come at me with your problems if you can't handle mine!" He wished he had been there for her when she found out. Somewhere deep inside, Kyran wished he had the ability to seal her memories away or make her only an observer of them. Memories were painful things. He knew.

When Adalinda mentioned him leaving, Kyran's skin visibly rippled. Bright red fire licked down his arms. Talons sprouted from fingers. The chains that Adalinda whipped at him were caught. Blood streamed out of his clenched fists. Kyran's eyes as they glared at Adalinda were multifaceted, with pupils that looked like pluses. "He. Has. My. Daughter! I. Won't. CHOOSE!" Blood swirled around Kyran's feet before a column of red surrounded him, ripping a hole in the ceiling. Faces, bodies swirled within the red wall that spun around Kyran. Nothing concrete but some of the faces looked familiar to any looking at them. The column stopped abruptly seconds after it began. Kyran stood in a suit of red armor. A hood covered his head with a large white pauldron covering his left shoulder. His right was covered by a smaller pauldron and his hands were sheathed in gauntlets. The rest of him was sheathed in a strange blend of apparent leather and a large coat.

"Leave" Kyran said his voice a blend of six voices speaking at once. "You have no right to be here. No right to accuse. Neither you nor any of the aces know why I left. I don't -didn't- expect to live. Even so, that doesn't give you the right to trespass here. Leave. I won't ask again." Kyran looked at the chains, still held in his fists. The metal screeched loudly. Then they dissolved into blood. A grim smile spread across Kyran's face as the blood was sucked into his hands. He could feel the power flooding through him immediately. "Don't underestimate me, Ada." They were almost back. His demons, Eae, they were roiling under his skin. If Ada made the wrong move, he would unleash them all.